Degrassi: The Next Generation

1.10 - Rumors And Reputation
Transcribed by Sarah Nicolett for http://twiztv.com



Starts in a hall at Degrassi
Emma is walking with a friend.
Emma: I just gotta hand this in to Armstrong. I’ll see you later.
She goes to Armstrong’s classroom. She goes to open the door, but she sees Mr. Armstrong with Liberty, very close to her and hugging her. The camera shows them and then a close-up of Emma watching, very scared or something.
 
Cut to: Media Immersion
JT: So I’m telling my mom that joke, you know, the one about the duck.
Manny: That one’s pretty good.
JT: And when I tell her the punch line, she spews milk out of her nose (Toby, Manny, + JT laugh, but Emma doesn’t) Uh, Emma? Milk out of my mom’s nose? Funny.
Emma: Huh? Oh, yeah, funny, JT.
Emma walks over to Liberty who is on a computer writing e-mails.
Emma: What’s going on?
Liberty: Nothing, just writing some e-mails.
Emma: Um, I wanted to ask you, I saw you and Armstrong this morning.
Liberty: And what’s your point?
Emma: It looked like…
Liberty: Looked like what? I had a few questions, about equations. So? Are you trying to read my e-mails? (Moves the computer so Emma can’t see the screen)
Emma: No, not at all.
Liberty: E-mails are private. Mind your own business. (Emma goes to sit down. When she does, she looks over at Liberty
 
Opening Credits
 
Outside
Emma and JT are sitting at a table, eating. Emma is looking at Mr. Armstrong who is helping Sean with basketball.
JT: Don’t you think you’re being a bit obvious?
Emma: About what?
JT: Sean. If you stare any harder, your eyeballs will pop out.
Emma: JT, what do you think of Armstrong? I mean, as a person?
JT: Teachers aren’t people, they’re…teachers.
Emma: You know what I mean. Do you think he’s…ok?
JT: Oh, yeah. Armstrong’s given me lots of extra help. He’s been really nice. To me, anyway.
Emma: Yeah, come to think of it, he’s nice to everyone. (Mr. Armstrong sees Liberty come outside. He catches up to her and gives her a piece of paper after talking to her, then touches her arm. Emma is watching.)
JT: You gonna eat that?
Emma: Huh? No, you take it. (Emma leaves)
JT: Something I said?
 
Cut to: Cafeteria
Jimmy and Spinner are getting lunch.
Jimmy: Hey, Sheila. Two specials, please. (She hands them some type of mushy food)
Spinner: What is that, nuclear waste?
Sheila: I don’t want to hear about it, Gavin. (He takes the food)
Spinner: Hey guys, did you see the sign in the bathroom? Plush twice, it’s a long way to the cafeteria.
Sheila: Gavin, it might take a few extra years, but I can’t wait for the day you graduate. (He takes his food to pay. As he waits, he picks at it and notices a bug in it.  He throws it, it lands in a girl’s hair. He goes to Sheila to tell her)
Spinner: Oh, man.
Girl: Ew! What is it? Ew!
Spinner: Sheila, there’s a bug in my squash.
Sheila: I think the joke goes, “Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup.”
Spinner: I’m serious! It’s right over….(As he looks a kid steps on it)
Sheila: Yeah, nice try, Gavin. By the way, don’t forget to pay for that. It’s $4.99 plus tax.  Next! (Spinner leaves)
 
Cut to: Hall
Emma and Manny are at Emma’s locker.
Manny: So, Em, for Media Immersion, should we use html?
Emma: Yeah, sure, whatever. Manny, has Armstrong ever touched you?
Manny: What? No. Did he touch you?
Emma: No, no. Not me, Liberty. I saw him touching Liberty.
Manny: Are you sure?
Emma: (shuts her locker) Yeah. I know what I saw.
Manny: I don’t know Em. (They start walking) Armstrong’s a pretty physically guy. Maybe you got the wrong idea.
Emma: I hope so. (They stop walking) But this morning, he had his arm around Liberty and I saw him passing her a note outside. It really looked like he was coming on to her (The camera moves and we see Terri is listening to them talk).
Manny: Mr. Armstrong?
 
Cut to: Hall
Spinner, Ashley, Paige, + Jimmy are walking.
Ashley: You’ve got to be making this up.
Spinner: No, I swear.
Paige: It just so happens you’re always complaining about the food and now you find a bug. Hmm.
Spinner: Hey, Paige, come on. Does this look like the face of a liar?
Paige: You want an honest answer?
Spinner: Why won’t anyone believe me? Tell her, Jimmy.
Jimmy: There was some kind of weirdness on his plate.
Ashley: You sure it wasn’t just a hair?
Jimmy: A moth, I think.
Spinner: An earwig, dude. An earwig.
Ashley: See? You two can’t even get your story straight. (Ashley + Paige leave)
Spinner: Boycott the caf. Hey, guys, the caf has bugs. Boycott the caf.
Ms. Kwan: That’s a serious accusation.
Spinner: Ms. Kwan, I found a bug in my food, an earwig.
Ms. Kwan: And where is offensive creature now?
Spinner: Stuck to a kid’s shoe.
Ms. Kwan: Gavin, defamation and roomemogering are serious offenses. The next time you have an accusation like that you better have proof. (She leaves)
Jimmy and Spinner head into math class
Terri is sitting, looking at Mr. Armstrong with a weird look on her face.
Paige: What’s with you? You look awful.
Terri: Thanks Paige.
Paige: No, I mean, what’s going on? It’s good to get things off your chest. You’ll feel way better.
Terri: I guess so, but…
Paige: Terri, we’re friends, right? Friends talk to each other.
Terri: Ok, but you have to promise to keep it a secret. I really mean it.
Paige: Of course. What is it?
Terri: You know Liberty that kid in seventh grade? Well I heard Armstrong was coming on to her.
Paige: Ew. You’re kidding, right?
Terri: No, I overheard Emma. She saw him with his arm around her. Then on the steps, he gave her a love note. So what do we do, report it?
Paige: Hun, you can’t report a rumor. (The bell rings so Terri turns around)
Mr. Armstrong: Afternoon everyone. (Sees Terri + Paige with weird looks on their faces) Something wrong girls?
Paige: Oh, no. Nothing, Mr. Armstrong.
Mr. Armstrong: Ok, today we’re going to take a look at distributive properties. All right, in review, you’ll remember the three main rules…(as he talks Paige types something to her best friend Hazel on her message thing. Hazel cell makes a noise. She picks it up and reads it. When she does, she gives Paige a shocked look and Paige nods at her)
 
Cut to: hall
Hazel is talking to someone on her cell phone.
Hazel: Get this: Liberty and Armstrong were seen kissing outside. Yeah, they were in his car kissing in front of everybody. (Sean, who is sitting on the stairs, hears this as she walks past)
 
Cut to: Class
Sean: (To Spinner) She got a ride in with him this morning. Do you think they spent the night together? How could Coach Armstrong do that?
 
Cut to: Hall
Spinner: (To Jimmy) Dude, Liberty and Armstrong are doing it.
 
Cut to: Media Immersion
Jimmy is typing a instant message to Ashley. It says: Jimmy411: Liberty. Armstrong. Doing it. Ashley is in shock.
Ashley: (Mouths to Jimmy) Is it true?
He nods at her.
 
Cut to: Class
A sign says, “Student Council in Session.” People are looking in.
Guy: There she is.(Referring to Liberty) Ha ha. (they laugh and make a loser sign)
Ashley: Next on the agenda, the motion that Liberty put forward last meeting.
Liberty: Right, about the talent show. So, what do you think Ashley, should we have one?
Ashley: Sure, sounds great. (The other kids nod)
Liberty: Wow that was easy. We argued about it for hours last week. (Ashley is whispering to a girl next to her) Guys, you can stop whispering. I know what you’re talking about.
Ashley: Um, you do?
Liberty: Of course. Everyone knows what happened, so we might as well discuss it.
Ashley: Um, okay, but, don’t you want to discuss it in private?
Liberty: It’s no secret Ashley. We all know some microphones were stolen at last years show, but it won’t happen this year. I promise.
Liberty is leaving, when Ashley stops her.
Ashley: Liberty.
Liberty: If it’s about the microphones…
Ashley: It’s not. Do you even know what’s going on? People are talking about you and Armstrong. That you’re pretty close.
Liberty: What does that mean?
Ashley: It means that people think that you two are extra friendly.
Liberty: They think he’s doing things to me?
Ashley: Yes. Is it true?
Liberty: Of course not. (She runs away)
Ashley: If it is, we have to report it. Liberty, please, just wait. We can talk.
 
Cut to: Next day at school at Degrassi
 
Emma: I knew something was going on.
Toby: You did?
Manny: We talked about it yesterday. I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t. Maybe we should report it.
JT: Armstrong would be toast.
Emma: That’s true. We should wait to find out for sure.
Toby: This whole thing? It’s disgusting. Just the thought …uh, makes me want to take a shower.
JT: That wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Emma: So what do we do now? (They see Liberty and look at her as she looks at them then she runs away so Emma runs after her)
 
Cut to: Girls Washroom
Emma enters
Liberty: Leave me alone, Emma.
Emma: Liberty, what you need right now is a friend, someone to talk to.
Liberty: But there’s nothing to talk about.
Emma: It’s ok, you can tell me.
Liberty: I am telling you.
Emma: Are you sure you’re not lying? Because we really have to report it.
Liberty: Emma! I swear on my life that nothing’s going on.
Emma: But the whole school is talking.
Liberty: I know and it’s just a vicious rumor, honest. What if it gets to Mr. Raditch? To my parents? What will Mr. Armstrong say when he hears this?
Emma: then there’s only one way to handle this: stop the rumor and track down its source. Then give whoever who started it…
Liberty: A good swift kick?
Emma: I was going to say a good talking to, but that’ll do. (They leave after Liberty dries her tears)
 
Cut to: Hall
Terri: Hey Spinner, find any bugs in your breakfast this morning?
Spinner: Very funny. So I made a mistake.
Jimmy: Why do you say a mistake?
Spinner: Because I did.
Jimmy: What?
Spinner: I’m always complaining about the food, right? So, I must have made it up.
Jimmy: Ok now I’m completely confused.
Spinner: It would have totally different if someone else found that bug. Then everyone would believe it. Even the wrath of Kwan.
Jimmy: I guess so.
Spinner tells Jimmy to follow him. He shows him a container.
Jimmy: Better not be tuna salad in here. (He opens it + there’s bugs in there)
Spinner: Today’s special: earwig surprise. Took me hours to collect them. (Jimmy gives him the bugs back) When I get done, the caf will be closed, permanently.
 
Cut to: Media Immersion
Ashley: Are you sure it isn’t true though? When I talked to Liberty yesterday, she was really defensive, like she was hiding something.
Emma: She was probably just upset. Wouldn’t you be?
Ashley: Yeah I would. Poor girl. Who would spread a rumor like that?
Emma: That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Who’d you hear it from Ashley?
Ashley: It was Jimmy. But he heard it from Spinner.
 
Cut to: hall
Spinner: Hey, it wasn’t me who started it. Talk to this guy (Meaning: Sean).
Emma: Sean?
Sean: What?
Spinner: He’s the one who told me.
Sean: About Coach Armstrong and Liberty? Man, that’s just sick.
Emma: It’s not true Sean.
Sean: It isn’t?
Emma: No.
Sean: Oh, man. I knew it sounded fake. I should have never believed her.
Emma: Believed who?
 
Cut to: Girls Washroom
Hazel: I’m innocent. Talk to Paige. (Paige comes out of a stall)
Paige: I was merely imparted information. And besides, I heard it from Terri. She’s the one you need to speak to.
 
Cut to: Hall
Terri is at her locker.
Emma: I need to talk to you.
Terri: Ok.
Emma: The whole school’s gossiping about Liberty and Armstrong.
Terri: no kidding. I have ears too.
Emma: Well it’s not true. It’s just a rumor. Paige spread it around. She heard it from you.
Terri: I swore her to secrecy.
Emma: As if she’d keep quiet. Paige lives for rumors.
Terri: I was upset, ok? I was shocked. I had to tell someone. I’m sorry.
Emma:  Well  too late. I hope you’re happy.
Terri: Me?
Emma: Hello,  you’re the one who started the rumor.
Terri: Hate to tell you, but no. It was right here yesterday, you were talking to Manny about Liberty and Armstrong, remember? You started the rumor, Emma.
 
Cut to: Cafeteria
Jimmy: Spin, you sure you wanna do this? Don’t you think it’s a bot drastic?
Spinner: Nope. All is fair in love and war, and dude, this is war.
They sit down at a table with Ashley.
Ashley: You’re eating the cafeteria food again?
Spinner: I decided to be, you know, mature. I probably never even saw that bug.
Ashley: Good for you Spinner. Jimmy, could you pass me the pepper? (As she gets the pepper, Spinner puts bugs on Ashley’s plate) Thanks. What are you smiling at? (She looks at her food and notices the bugs)
Jimmy: You put bugs on her tray?
Spinner:  Nobody believes me, but they’ll believe her.
Ashley: Spinner you idiot.
Spinner: Ash, calm down. I told you, there’s bugs in the food.
Ashley: Because you put them there. What’s in that container?
Spinner: Nothing. (She opens it and finds more bugs, which she drops on the tray)
Ms. Kwan: Gavin, what is going on here?
 
Cut to: Math Class
Liberty: Math class. I’ve been dreading this all day. (They go in and sit down) So did you track down the rumor?
Emma: Yeah, but I need to say something to you first. (The bell rings)
Mr. Armstrong: Ok, today we’re going to be working on equations. Now, when dealing with equations, we always use the BEDMAS rule. Now, who can tell me what that stands for? (No one answers) What’s with everyone today? Ok, why don’t you tell us Liberty, you and I have been working on it. (People start to laugh) What is so funny?
Mr. R: That’s enough. Mr. Armstrong, could I have 5 minutes of your time?
Mr. Armstrong: I was just about to get started here.
Mr. R: Mrs. Smith will take over the class.
Mr. Armstrong: Right, okay. Class, I want you to begin working on the order of operations exercises on page 129. (They open their books)
Mr. R: Liberty, would you join us, please? (Liberty leaves with them so Emma gets up and leaves, too)
 
Cut to: Principal’s Office
Liberty: What are you doing here?
Mr. R: Emma, go back to class.
Emma: I need to talk to you, Mr. Raditch.
Mr. R: Well, it’ll have to wait. I’m in the middle of something right now.
Emma: It can’t wait. You see, I’m in the middle of it, too.
 
Cut to: Cafeteria
Sheila: You’ll help me serve at every lunch and then after school you can help me clean up. (Bell rings) Oh and uh (Hands him a hair net) don’t forget about this.
Spinner: I’m not wearing that.
Sheila: Health regulations princess. You do know about health regulations.
He takes it + puts it on.
Jimmy + Ashley approach
Jimmy: Hey Spin, how long are you…(start to laugh when he turns around wearing the hair net)
Ashley: Nice net, Spinner. (They leave laughing and Spinner hangs his head down)
Sheila: Oh, cheer up. It won’t be for long. Only for about two months.
Spinner: Two months?
Sheila: You owe the school $300. That’s what it’ll cost to exterminate the cafeteria.
Spinner: But the caf needed to be exterminated anyway.
Sheila: Sure it did, Gavin. Sure it did. (She leaves)
 
Cut to: Girls Washroom
Emma: Liberty? I know you’re in here. (checks the stalls until she finds Liberty) I was responsible for the rumor starting, but I didn’t spread it. (Liberty comes out)
Liberty: And there’s a difference? You’re lucky Mr. Armstrong didn’t lose his job. And you what makes me really mad? That you thought I could do that.
Emma: Do what? Be violated? And what were you doing with Mr. Armstrong anyway? He had his arm around you, passed you a note.
Liberty: You want to see my note? (Gives her a paper)
Emma: Dyscalculia?
Liberty: it’s a learning disorder, like dyslexia, but with numbers. I’m been really upset about it. Mr. Armstrong’s been helping me. (Takes the paper back)
Emma: So that’s the explanation? Why didn’t you say something? Because it means you’re not perfect?
Liberty: Because it means I’m stupid.
Emma: Stupid? You’re one of the smartest kids in school.
Liberty: Not in math I’m not.
Emma: Who cares?
Liberty: I do! It’s important to me to be the best. You don’t understand.
Emma: Liberty, I feel really bad. Is there something I can do, to help?
Liberty: No, Emma. Go back to saving rainforests and whales, because when it comes to help people, you suck. (Liberty leaves)
 
End credits